The invention pertains to the field of gasoline saving devices for internal combustion engines wherein a signal is produced if the engine accelerator pedal is depressed at an excessive rate.
It has long been recognized that the operating characteristics of an internal combustion engine, particularly an automobile engine, can be improved if the rate of acceleration of the engine is commensurate with the ability of the engine to accelerate. However, with a manually operated accelerator pedal, usually a foot pedal, there is a tendency for many drivers to depress the accelerator, and open the throttle valve, at a rate greater than the rate which the engine actually accelerates and is capable of using fuel. This discrepancy between the rate of accelerator throttle operation, and the ability of the engine to accommodate the call for acceleration, causes an excessively rich fuel mixture to be introduced into the engine, wasting gasoline, producing unburned gasoline with the engine cylinders, and often causing a dilution of the motor oil. Such a rich fuel mixture also produces highly undesirable and contaminating engine pollution and in view of the present shortage of gasoline, and emphasis on clean air, the over rich fuel mixture is most objectionable.
A number of complicated throttle control devices are known wherein "over-acceleration" is prevented by controlling the rate of movement of the accelerator pedal and linkages, or relating the acceleration to the intake manifold pressure, as, in one such device as disclosed in the applicant's expired U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,652.
While known throttle control devices, and intake manifold pressure regulated apparatus, are effective to minimize the wasting of gasoline, such devices are expensive, and often objectionable from the driver's point of view in that they adversely affect the "feel" highly desirable to the operator with respect to the operation of the vehicle and tend to "override" the driver's control.